Keiji Inafune, the creator of Mega Man and head of R&D at Capcom said, “I strongly feel that ‘Project Natal’ will expand the possibilities of gaming. It’s yet another component that adds to the appeal of Xbox 360 and demonstrates to users the broad level of entertainment it provides. Personally, I too am extremely excited about ‘Project Natal.’ It’s really going to stir up our creative spirits. I think it’s going to bring new ways to play and new surprises to Xbox 360 fans and help further the development of completely original content. ‘Project Natal’ is definitely something people should look out for.”

Inafune will be part of a Project Natal panel held at Tokyo Game Show along with Super Monkey Ball / Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and Metal Gear Solid mastermind Hideo Kojima.

It could be because I’m just resilient to change, but I can’t say I’m all too excited about this new Motion Control phenomenon. I think in moderate amounts it’s fine, but I really don’t think I’d enjoy having every game I own requiring motion control. Of course, no one’s saying that this is going to happen any time soon, but most -not all- uses of motion control I’ve seen haven’t really added extra dimensions to the gaming experience.

I can already hear myself to my grand-brats:
“In my day, we played our games using controllers and none of this virtual reality, movement requiring nonsense!”

Aoshi00

The thing that got me excited was flipping thru netflix movies w/ just your hand, it’s cool and like in the future. I could see this working w/ casual games geared toward family, but for hardcore games that require precise control, I really have my doubt. I thought Eye toy was silly, will need to see how this one goes.. another bar other than the Wii sensor….

ElTopo

Again the entire tech is just pathetically gimmicky. Why flip your hand around like a jackass when you can press a single digital input on a controller or remote? Its just garbage, at least Wii has a damn controller, this is just a step above an eyetoy and remember how much fun that was…oh wait.

Aoshi00

I agree, it does look silly, just like the excessive waggle w/ the wii remote instead of pressing a button, it’s unnecessary. I remember making fun of people who jerk from side to side when playing games, now people are encouraged to move around. Not holding an object in your hand looks even more stupid.

I don’t know, will see what they could cook up w/ Natal (I thought Heavenly Sword’s arrow or cannonball were a step in the right direction, fun but a little iffy). I probably won’t be buying the new sensor bar add-on either unless it has something really cool on it.

The eye toy didn’t catch on, but the Wii got it right. And now everyone just wants to capture a piece of the success. The point is this is primarily for non-gamers who want intuitive control rather than memorize what button does what. Yet I can’t help but be curious about the “possibilities” if these things are applied to hardcore games and done right.

robopon360

This is going to be the greatest.

epy

I don’t see Natal as anything beyond a gimmicky, overrated approach to the already overrated, gimmicky Wii controls. Guess I’m a grand-brat already, but what’s so wrong with controls? Seeing Inafune and others who made some of the games I loved and grew up with calling it the future of gaming is truly dissapointing. I can only hope their opinions are the by product of some mysterious fat check that also works wonders in buying timed exclusives.

Tatsu

That quote is so long winded and generic. It would be great in madlibs!

“I strongly feel that (technology) will expand the possibilities of (industry). It’s yet another component that adds to the appeal of (platform) and demonstrates to users the broad level of entertainment it provides. Personally, I too am extremely excited about (technology). It’s really going to stir up our creative spirits. I think it’s going to bring new ways to (verb) and new surprises to (platform) fans and help further the development of completely original content. (technology) is definitely something people should look out for.”

http://www.siliconera.com/ Ishaan

Anyone keep track of the press conference that just happened? I thought it was a little embarrassing.

Ereek

Oh, darn, I didn’t get to see it. More information?

http://www.siliconera.com/ Ishaan

1UP live-blogged it. Basically, it was Kojima, Inafune and Nagoshi all talking about how AWESOME Natal is (future of gaming, emotion in games etc etc) without showing any games for it.

http://www.younganimal.com/berserk Mr_Qoo

Emotions in games, indeed. Final Fantasy 7 made several gamers bawl like a child. Now, Project Natal will make ALL gamers stream tears of gaming mediocrity. Wii has barely impressed me with their Wii-mote. PS3′s six-axis control makes me livid. Natal is going to be a joke just like the Eyetoy and LIVE Vision cam. Maybe now my Rainbow Six Vegas characters can DANCE like me on cam and not just have my ugly mug…really.

lostinblue

if they’re so excited for yet another new optional peripherical, then they should develop for the Wii where motion sensing is standard.

not saying the tech isn’t different, it is… but really. we have developers in that list that didn’t even explore properly what the wiimote can do; makes it too much of a “me too” bandwagon that might go nowhere, really.

they have a console who sold more than 50 million units with that tech, after all… it’s more than Natal would reach if it sold to every X360 owner.

Video game stories from other sites on the web. These links leave Siliconera.